Staff Reporter :

 

Electric sparks at Special Newborn Care Unit force emergency evacuation n Narrowed streets and water-logging stall ambulances; residents face commuting nightmare  

 

Heavy construction work for the flyover in front of Daga Hospital, on Thursday, triggered an electric short circuit at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), forcing the hospital staff to urgently shift six critically ill infants to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). The incident has exposed serious lapses in planning and civic oversight, raising questions about patient safety and accountability. According to information, spark at the electric board was first noticed by a nurse, who immediately switched off all appliances and started relocating the infants. Medical Superintendent Dr Dilip Madavi personally oversaw the process.

 

The shifting team had to navigate heavily congested roads from Agrasen Chowk to Golibar Chowk. Ongoing construction work damaged electric cables, water, and sewage pipelines. Water-logging infront of the 500-bed hospital, including 380 beds for women, has created unhygienic conditions and potential mosquito breeding grounds. Ambulances find it difficul to move in and out of the hospital as vehicles parked at the hospital entrance block their way. The situation outside the hospital is increasingly hazardous. Broken water pipelines have caused water-logging, creating unhygienic conditions and potential mosquito-breeding sites near the hospital. Local residents are also struggling to commute amid the chaos.

 

Dr Madavi told ‘The Hitavada’, “We have taken remedial measures. PWD officials have been asked to conduct frequent inspections, and the Fire Department will carry out regular fire audits and mock drills. A 240 KV transformer is being installed to strengthen the hospital’s electrical system. Old connections are being replaced, and we are requesting the NHAI to ensure safe passage for patients. We hope such incidents won’t happen in the future.” Civic activists and opposition leaders have criticised authorities for poor planning, arguing that infrastructure projects should not endanger public health. They demand stricter monitoring of construction near sensitive sites like hospitals to prevent such near-disasters in the future.